Micah Nori appears to be a fringe candidate for Lakers coaching job

Nori is not among three names who are reportedly "leading" candidates for the job.

May 4, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori reacts in the / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers are searching for a new head coach and while Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori is reportedly a candidate for the job, who was not among the three names listed as "leading head coach targets" of the Lakers on Tuesday morning.

The report comes from Shams Charania of The Athletic, who says JJ Redick, Pelicans associate coach James Borrego and Celtics assistant Sam Cassell are the leading candidates, with Nori, Denver assistant David Adelman and Miami assistant Chris Quinn are "are expected to be among the other candidates."

Nori has helped head coach Chris Finch mastermind game plans to help the Timberwolves become a unicornin the modern NBA. Going with a big lineup in a league that went small, the Timberwolves have blossomed into the No. 1 defense in the league this season.

Nori's role got even bigger when Finch suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee in Game 4 of Minnesota's sweep of the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. That led to Finch sitting in the second row behind the bench while Nori took Finch's place roaming the sideline for all four games thus far in the second-round series against the Nuggets.

Minnesota didn't miss a beat in Games 1 and 2 against Denver, but the Nuggets have evened the series with back-to-back wins in Games 3 and 4 in Minneapolis. Nori will again be roaming the sidelines in a pseudo head coach role for Game 5 in Denver Tuesday night.